Beli

Chapter 2

Freyr Travels To Jotunheim

As Freyr rode away from his hall he felt things he had not experienced in quite a while. The Vanir God was more alive than he had been for for what seemed to him a millennium. Beyla' s tale of a beautiful shining female Jotun had once again given him purpose in a life that had become boring and mundane. He felt his excitement rise ever higher with every gallop of his now heavily sweating horse. Freyr pushed Blodughofi until he began to struggle, and had lathered up quite severely. The Vanir God then pulled up by a small stream at the edge of a meadow to let his exhausted horse drink, and rest. As he looked around he decided that this was as good a place as any to rest for the night. After a hearty meal of Beyla' s wonderful packed food, Freyr bedded down under the stars, and fell asleep with his horse's saddle as his pillow.

The last sight that Freyr saw before relinquishing his conscious mind to sleep was a bright shooting star as it crossed the heavens. In his dreams the Vanir God traveled to a magical hall made all of gold. A great silver fence surrounded the hall, and the gate, which was also made of gold was encrusted with beautiful gems of every type. In front of this gate stood on guard two great beasts. When Freyr dismounted Blodughofi the beasts parted, and he walked unafraid past them, and through the gate which protected the great hall. As he walked up the marble stairs at the entrance, the golden doors opened before him. Suddenly he was blinded by a great light radiating from the far end of the great hall. Freyr shielded his eyes as he slowly walked towards the source of the light. At the end of the great hall, seated on a golden throne, was a woman who shone as bright as Sunna herself. As he came closer something pushed him ! The second nudge woke up Freyr to Sunna's first morning rays. When Blodughofi poked him a third time he became angry ! " Yes, I know ! It is time to get up, and continue our journey my friend ! " he snarled at his persistent four legged friend. " Let me wash up, and we will be on our way . " he added as he stretched.

The journey to Jotunheim was a long and tedious one. Freyr and Blodughofi rode for days through nation after nation, over meadows and valleys, and finally up into the white capped mountains that were the homes of the Jotnar. Once he had reached the lands of the Giants, however, he had no idea which way to go to find Gymir's great hall. Freyr dismounted his steed and walked to the highest point he could find to get the best view of what lay around him. When he returned to Blodughofi he petted the horses neck and said gently : " Let us ride down into that valley which lies between those two high peaks and see what lies there old friend. "

Freyr and Blodughofi rode from one end of the valley to the other, and did not see any great halls, or for that matter even one single Jotun ! " Jotuns are so big ! How could we not have come across at least one of them by now ?! " he asked Blodughofi as they finished exploring the valley thoroughly. Freyr was about to turn back for the mountains when he noticed a puff of white smoke off in the distance on what appeared to be a mountain plateau. The Vanir God kicked Blodughofi into a gallop, and they headed for the source of the smoke at full speed.

As they left the trail that had led them to the plateau, the land leveled out, and became much like a grassy meadow. As he rode slowly forward, Freyr was met by a wall of sheep that stretched as far as his eyes could see. At the end of this great sheep herd was the source of the smoke. Blodughofi moved slowly through the thick herd, and as he did they parted like water before the prow of a ship. At the end of this great sea of sheep was a Jotun herdsman sitting on a mound warming his hands over a small fire. The sheep herder barely moved as Freyr dismounted, and walked over to the fire.

As Freyr rubbed his hands over the Jotun's fire, the sheep herder looked thoughtfully into the dancing flames. " You are too small to be a Jotun, and much too pretty to be a dwarf. " he told Freyr sarcastically. " My fair guess is that your are of the Alfar, or maybe even one of the Gods. " he added. " Which is it little one ? " the herdsman asked with a smile. " I, my friend, am the Vanir God Freyr ! I have come to Jotunheim in search of a Giantess of whom I have heard wonderful things ! " Freyr replied. " What is the name of this " Giantess " for whom you speak of, God of the Vanir ? " the herdsman asked. " I know not her name my friend . I have been told that she is the daughter of the Jotun Gymir, and the mountain Giantess Aurboda. It is said that that her arms shine like Sunna, and that her beauty is unmatched in Jotunheim. " Freyr answered.

The Jotun stopped warming his hands for a moment and looked over at Freyr. " The maiden of whom you speak Vanir God is named Gerdr. " he told the Freyr . " Actually here in Jotunheim she is not considered to be such a great beauty. She is considered too fair of face and body to be considered pretty among my people. " he added. " I do not care what you think of her my friend , I wish to meet this Gerdr, and speak to her in person ! " Freyr told him. " Can you tell me how to get to Gymir's hall herdsman ? " he asked. The Jotun thought for a moment, and then looked over at Freyr with a sarcastic smile. " I can tell you how to reach Gymir's great hall Vanir God, but there is little chance that you will be allowed into see the maiden Gerdr. " the herdsman told him. " And why is that sheep herder ? " freyr asked in an annoyed tone. " Even if you can somehow pass the ferocious dogs that guard the gate, and scale the fence that surrounds Gymir's hall, Beli will stop you long before you are able to speak to the Giantess my friend ! " the herdsman told him with a sly grin. " And who may I ask is this Beli ? " Freyr questioned. " He is Gerdr's brother, and he is the guardian of Gymir's hall, and the protector of the fair maiden ! " the sheep herder told him sternly.

There was an uneasy silence before Freyr spoke again. " I am willing to take any risk to meet the maiden who was described to me ! " Freyr stated emphatically. " Will you tell me the way to Gymir' s hall herdsman ?! " Freyr asked a bit more angrily. The sheep herder rose up, and walked over to the edge of the plateau with Freyr following close behind him. He pointed down into the valley below and said : " Do you see that shining point of light in the middle of that evergreen forest ? " he asked Freyr. " Yes, it is hard to miss my friend. " Freyr replied. That is where you will find the fair maiden for whom you seek ! " the herdsman told him, and then walked slowly back to his fire.